Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Release

OF Pujols among trio of minor leaguers released by Phillies

Jose Pujols, image- Jay Floyd It was announced that the Phillies released outfield prospect Jose Pujols along with two minor league pitchers on Wednesday. The 24-year-old righty hitting Dominican missed all of the 2019 regular season following a reported Achilles tendon injury. Pujols made a name for himself during his first campaign in full-season Class A in 2016,  when he set Lakewood's single season home run record at the time, at that time, with a mark of 24. Overall in 128 games in the South Atlantic League that year, Pujols tallied a .241 batting average with 82 runs batted in. In six minor league seasons, the six-foot-three 180-pounder notched a .238/.304/.406 slash line.  The father of two posted a message about the release on his Instagram account on Wednesday night.  An image of that statement is embedded below. Tip of the cap to OF Jose Pujols, who was released yesterday by the #Phillies . He posted a statement about it on his Instagram a...

LHP Brown speaks on recent release and his future

Aaron Brown, image- Jay Floyd Please consider supporting my work and subscribe to  my Patreon page .  Your patronage will get you exclusive interviews and other prospect related material as well as early access to all of my other content such as this post.  Thank you. Aaron Brown was released last Friday after nearly six years in the Phillies organization. Brown, the Phils' 3rd round draft selection in 2014 out of Pepperdine, was primarily an outfielder after turning pro.  A two-way player in college, Brown switched to pitching in 2017 after struggling on offense (.224/.313/.360) at the Double-A level. A dominant hurler in college, Brown posted a 13-1 record along with a 1.95 ERA in 17 starts in 2014.  A solid performer on the minor league mound as well, the California native notched a 5-4 record with a pair of saves, a 3.82 ERA along with an 11.0 K/9 mark in 45 relief appearances for the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils last season. With free ...

Phillies release minor leaguers ahead of amateur draft

Leibrandt w/ Reading in 2017, image-Jay Floyd Please consider supporting my work and subscribe to  my Patreon page .  Your patronage will get you exclusive interviews and other prospect related material as well as early access to all of my other content such as this post.  Thank you. On Monday I learned that roughly two dozen Phillies minor leaguers were released over the weekend as the organization prepares for this year's amateur draft. Via sources, I quickly confirmed a few of the individuals, namely righty hitting outfielder Ben Aklinski along with lefty pitcher Brandon Leibrandt .  I also communicated with lefty reliever Aaron Brown , who confirmed to be that he had been released by the organization. Aklinski, 23, with the Phils' 32nd round draft pick in 2018.  He notched a .560 OPS last year with Class A Advanced Clearwater.   Leibrandt had been out of action since July of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.  The 27-...

Pitching prospect Garner, others released, Dugan has setback

Garner, image- Jay Floyd Via the esteemed Jim Salisbury on Twitter, there were a couple noteworthy minor league reports on Sunday with righty hurler Perci Garner being released and outfielder Kelly Dugan returning home to heal from a stress fracture in his foot. Garner was the Phillies' second round draft choice in 2010. The 26-year-old sported a 19-23 record along with a 4.50 ERA and a .266 batting average against in 87 career games over his career. Dugan, the Phils' 2nd round draft selection in 2009, has not played this spring as he was initially sidelined with a stress reaction in his right foot. The injury was re-diagnosed as a stress fracture, with the 24-year-old returning to his native California to rest and recuperate. In his pro career to date, Dugan has tallied a .293/.368/.451 slash line in 425 games. Additionally, as per well-connected Phillies blogger Baseball Betsy , the Phillies also parted ways with pitchers Jordan Guth and Kyle Bogese as wel...

Infielder Blanco outrighted off Phillies' 40-man roster

The Phillies announced over the weekend that they've outrighted infielder Andres Blanco off their 40-man roster. The 30-year-old switch-hitter posted a .277 average while slamming a home run and driving in three runs in 25 games at the big league level this season. In the minors, Blanco sported a .241/.314/.285 slash line in 45 contests with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.  He missed time in 2014 with an oblique issue. Prior to this year, the Venezuela native had last appeared in the Major Leagues with Texas in 2011.  Blanco also has big league time with Kansas City and the Cubs. Blanco was originally signed by the Phils as a minor league free agent prior to the 2012 season. Image- Jay Floyd

Phillies release nine prospects

According to Matt Eddy of Baseball America, the Phillies released nine minor league talents this week.  Among them, righty hurlers Mark Meadors and Jeb Stefan as well as infielder Trey Williams . Meadors, 22, was a 21st round draft selection by the Phillies in 2013 out of Cowley County Community College.  The six-foot-four 200 pounder posted a 2-3 record along with two saves, a 3.76 ERA and a 7.36 K/9 mark in 37 outings in his time with the Phils. Stefan, a six-foot-four 220 pounder, was a 22nd round draft choice in 2012 out of Louisiana Tech University. Stefan, 24, sported a 6-12 record with a 6.44 ERA in 29 games with Class A Advanced Clearwater this past season. Third baseman Williams, a right-handed hitter, was selected by the Phils in the 7th round of the 2013 draft.  The 20-year-old posted a .197 average with five home runs, 22 RBI and one steal in 76 games in the rookie level Gulf Coast League over two seasons.  Also trimmed by the Phils were 21-y...

Phillies release former top pick Hewitt

Anthony Hewitt with Lakewood in 2011, Image- Jay Floyd Six years after he was their top draft selection, the Phillies have finally pulled the trigger and cut disappointing outfielder Anthony Hewitt . Hewitt had struggled mightily in his pro career, but looked outmatched this season with Double-A Reading where he posted a .140 batting average in 34 games before a recent demotion to Class A Advanced Clearwater. In eight games since the move, the 25-year-old went 4-for-31 (.129 avg). He walked only once this season. Hewitt, who signed for over $1 million in 2008, batted .223 with a .634 OPS in six years since he was drafted 24th overall by the Phillies. It was time to cut their losses and the Phillies did just that. In an exclusive interview with PhoulBallz.com last month, Hewitt was not discouraged and, in fact, was very optimistic, asserting that his output would turn around. "It's a game of failure," Hewitt stated. "Just, right now, no hits are falling...

RHP Austin Hyatt Released by Phils

Austin Hyatt with Reading in 2011 On Thursday evening, IronPigs reporter Jeff Schuler mentioned on Twitter that the Phillies have parted ways with righty hurler Austin Hyatt .  The 25-year-old struggled considerably last season, as he posted a 2-7 record with a 6.33 ERA over 11 games as member of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs' starting rotation.  Following a demotion to Double-A Reading, Hyatt's output improved, as he tallied an 8-5 record along with a 4.62 ERA in 16 outings, but he wasn't as sharp as he had been in the same league a season earlier..  Following a solid full season with Reading (12-6, 3.85 ERA, 9.97 K/9) in 2011, Hyatt was ranked among the organization's top 20 prospects by PhilliesNation . With promising young hurlers like Adam Morgan , Ethan Martin , Jonathan Pettibone and last year's Paul Owens Award winner Tyler Cloyd holding down rotation spots for Lehigh Valley, there simply didn't seem to be room for Hyatt. The ...

Whatcott and Hill Released by Phillies

Another pair of releases out of Phillies minor league camp today saw the team part ways with righty hurler Jordan Whatcott (pictured) and catcher John Hill . Whatcott, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2010, pitched in 44 games (seven starts) with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading in 2012. The 27-year-old University of Utah product posted a 3-3 record with two saves and a 3.78 ERA. Hill, a lefty batting 24-year-old, was the Phils' 11th round draft selection in 2011. The graduate of Concordia University in California batted .129 with two doubles and eight RBI in 36 games over three levels last season. The Phillies' minor league rosters continue to take shape and should be finalized this coming weekend.

Chris Duffy Talks About Being Cut by Phils

In recent days a prospect that had considerable buzz about him last season, Chris Duffy , was released by the Phillies.  Billed by many coaches within the system as a very good hitter, the 26th round draft choice in 2010 out of the University of Central Florida had an outstanding season in 2012 with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws.  In 60 games in the South Atlantic League the lefty batting slugger sported a .384 batting average with 11 homers and 56 RBI.  Additionally, in two different stints with Class A Advanced Clearwater last year, Duffy sported a .236 average with two home runs and 15 RBI. Credited by prospects like highly regarded third baseman Maikel Franco with being an inspiration, the 25-year-old Duffy built a reputation of being a leader among toward players.  Now, faced with free agency, the well-mannered and steadily lighthearted spoke this week about the circumstances surrounding his release, - Okay, so clearly there was some big news t...

More Phillies Prospects Released

Word out of Clearwater on Sunday had more names than the ones I reported being released. Confirmation of those names came on Monday, when Phillies Vice President of Alumni Relations Larry Shenk noted on his blog that Luis Gonzalez , Stefan Jarrin and Moises Rivas had all been cut the day prior, while David Newmann had been released that morning. Gonzalez, a lefty hurler, pitched with short-season Class A Williamsport last season, posting a 0-3 record with a save and a 4.62 ERA in 16 outings. The Dominican born 20-year-old was originally signed in February, 2010. Jarrin, a second baseman, was the player to be named later from Los Angeles in the Shane Victorino trade last year. Acquired in September, following the regular season, the 20-year-old never actually played a game in the Phils organization. Rivas, a righty pitcher, sported a 15-4 record along with a 3.27 ERA over three pro seasons in 45 outings. The 22-year-old Venezuelan was originally signed by the Phi...

Surprising Minor League Cuts Begin For Phils

Eldemire and Duffy with Lakewood in 2012 Following releases last week that didn't catch many off guard (details here , here and here ), the Phillies began some more house cleaning on Sunday when they cut ties with a pair of players that many people thought were not at risk of losing their spots in the system, as first baseman Chris Duffy and outfielder Gauntlett Eldemire were both released by the Phils, making each man a free agent. Duffy, a 26th round draft choice in 2010 out of the University of Central Florida, had an outstanding season in 2012 with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws.  In 60 games there, the lefty batting slugger posted a .384 average with 11 homers and 56 RBI.  Additionally, in two different stints with Class A Advanced Clearwater last year, Duffy sported a .236 average with two home runs and 15 RBI.  The 25-year-old was credited with helping some of his younger Lakewood teammates excel at the plate as well. Eldemire, a 6th round draft select...

Phillies Release RHP Ryan Duke

More reasons to follow me on Twitter...if you missed Monday's news about the Phillies' release of right-handed pitcher Juan Morillo , you may have also missed me breaking another cut on Tuesday morning, when the Phils parted ways with righty hurler Ryan Duke . The #Phillies have parted ways with RHP Ryan Duke, who was a 25th rd draft pick in 2011. #MiLB — Jay Floyd (@PhoulBallz) March 12, 2013 Duke, a University of Oklahoma product, was selected by the Phillies in the 25th round of the 2011 amateur draft. In two professional seasons, the 24-year-old Texas native sported a 1-3 record with 10 saves and a 2.73 ERA in 55 combined games at five levels. Be sure to follow me in order to learn about Phillies minor league news as it breaks.

Phils Part Ways with RHP Juan Morillo

News that was first reported on Twitter by yours truly...on Monday, the Phillies released righty pitcher Juan Morillo . Source tells me that the #Phillies have parted ways with RHP Juan Morillo, who was with @ readingfightins & @ ironpigs last year. #MiLB — Jay Floyd (@PhoulBallz) March 11, 2013 Morillo, a 29-year-old veteran, was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent in May, 2011, while he was recovering from elbow surgery. In 2012, the Dominican born hurler tallied a 1-2 record with a 5.34 ERA combined in 40 games with the Double-A Reading Phillies and the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. In 2001, Morillo broke into the pro ranks after signing as an amateur free agent with Colorado. He went on to pitch in six games with the Rockies in the majors. Morillo also spent time with the Twins and pitched in the Japanese Pacific League in 2010.

PhoulBallz Interview: Eric Pettis On Being Cut & His New Book

Eric Pettis proved that even 35th round draft picks can make a name for themselves. In roughly a year and a half in the Phillies organization, the UC Irvine product posted a 10-3 record, a 2.17 ERA and 12 saves with 122 strike outs in 128 2/3 innings pitched. Last week the Phillies surprised many by releasing the 23-year-old who was selected late by Philadelphia in the 2010 amateur draft. With the bad came some good, however, as Pettis announced the release of his first book. Available in electronic formats, Just a Minor Perspective: Through the Eyes of a Minor League Rookie, became available to the public last week. With his newly found free time, Pettis was able to answer questions about being cut by the Philadelphia organization as well as a few inquiries about his debut as an author. Read ahead for that exclusive interview. Many people were surprised to learn of your release from the Phillies organization this past week. I imagine your were more surprised than anyone. Can you talk ...

South Jersey's Rice and Others Released By Phils

On the heels of a string of cuts this week, the Phillies released three more players from minor league camp on Friday, including outfielders Bill Rice (pictured) and Brent Clevlen as well as catcher Jeff Lanning . Rice, a native of Sewell, NJ, was signed by the Phillies following a tryout at Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park in June, 2010. Always a standout at every amateur level he has played, Rice's lifelong dream of competing as a professional was achieved when the team he grew up cheering for offered him a contract. Last year, in 46 combined games with the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies and the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, the 5-foot-11-inch 185-pounder sported a .296 batting average with 1 HR, 13 RBI and 10 stolen bases. After watching several teammates receive similar news in recent weeks, the lefty hitting speedster was stunned to learn he was being released early Friday. Speaking exclusively with PhoulBallz.com's Jay Floyd, Rice expressed his greatest apprec...

Way and Pettis Released by Phillies

The Phillies continued their trimming of the masses in minor league camp Wednesday morning by releasing another group of players. Among those who were let go was lefty pitcher Matthew Way . Right-handed hurler Eric Pettis (pictured) was also among those cut. Way was often injured during his time in the Philadelphia organization. In three seasons as a pro, including 2011 in which he did not pitch, Way posted a 13-9 record with a 3.22 ERA in 31 games (30 starts). The 24-year-old was a 5th round draft choice in 2009, out of Washington State. Pettis stormed onto the pro scene as a 35th round draft selection in 2010, going 8-0 with 7 saves and a 1.37 ERA in 20 outings (5 starts) and becoming a NY-Penn League All-Star with the Williamsport Crosscutters that year before joining Class A Lakewood for their playoff push. Last season, Pettis, now 23-years-old, continued his success, tallying a 2-3 record with 5 saves and a 2.84 ERA in 47 combined relief appearances with Class A Lakewood and Cl...

More Phils Farm Hands Released

For the second consecutive week, you can read breaking news of Phillies' minor league cuts here on PhoulBallz.com first. Early Sunday morning, the following players were informed that the Phillies no longer required their services: Luis Unda , Ian Durham , Paul Cusick , Chase Johnson , Juary Gomez and Rye Davis . Unda (pictured, right), a 22-year-old infielder had been signed by the Phillies in 2008 and played as high as Class A Lakewood, where he went 0-for-8 in 3 games played last season. The Venezuelan native was a member of the Phils' championship Gulf Coast League team in 2010. Durham, 23, was a 28th round draft choice in 2011. The righty pitcher went 1-0 with a 3.62 ERA and 2 saves in 18 appearances for the Gulf Coast League Phillies last year. Cusick, a 23-year-old right-hander, was also selected in last year's draft. In 18 combined appearances (1 start) with the GCL team and Williamsport in 2011, the University of Penn product went 3-2 with a 3.79 ERA. Johnson (pic...